Introduction to Trading

In the retail market, Trading Professionals are not easy to find.

Having worked in trading for many years, and with an understanding of the Wholesale/Institutional space, it is obvious to me which ‘experts’ should be overlooked immediately.

What is core to trader’s success?

A desire to be humble and submit to the markets. No one can outsmart markets, nor do they always make money. But if
you know when to take your profits and remain calm during times when positions
go against you, you will gain experience of how to wear losses and this makes
the profits even sweeter.

Remember – the most important rule is to stay in the game. The easiest way to do that is to avoid the big loss. The big loss is risking too much capital on any one trade which immediately puts your capital reserve under threat.

From time to time I am reminded of a quote from my former Head of Trading at Goldman Sachs, who told me that if you’re going to trade international markets, then you’d better get out there and understand what they are about, i.e. travel to those destinations you’re trading in and meet people face to face to harness a more granular appreciation of what makes that market tick.

I’ve been in Financial Markets since I left school at age 18. A friend of mine had a sister (I know, I know, a stretch!) working at a firm called Schroders in Australia and they wanted a settlements clerk in FX.

In the first chapter of this introduction to trading, Matt Starkey covers off on the mindset of a successful trader.